


The Taste of Pretzels and Smell of Cotton Candy

by Kawaiicoyote



Series: Build-A-Bear Adventures [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Build-A-Bear, But seriously why the hell would you trade in a Chevy for a Toyota I want an explanation, Cotton Candy Fluff, F/M, First Date, Fluff, Good Peter, Hale Family Feels, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm so sorry, Implied Character Death, Isaac Lahey Feels, Isaac is such a gentleman, Like a teddy bear, Nostalgia, On Cora's part anyway, Pre-Relationship, SO MUCH FLUFF, Shopping Malls, Slight smidgen of angst, So much fluff you'll want to hug something, Teddy Bears, The new Toyota that is not the Camaro makes a small appearance, There is a hiccup of angst, fluff fluff fluff, hint hint wink wink teddy bear, not gonna lie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-23
Updated: 2013-06-23
Packaged: 2017-12-15 20:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/853723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kawaiicoyote/pseuds/Kawaiicoyote
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isaac has done the impossible. He's achieved permission not only to take Derek's new car for a spin, but he's also been granted permission to take Derek's baby sister Cora out for a night of fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Taste of Pretzels and Smell of Cotton Candy

**Author's Note:**

> Dear lord I'm sorry but I SUCK at summaries lately!  
> This is a going to be made into a part of a series, yes, you all wanted me to make a Build-A-Bear series happen and it's being put into motion!  
> This is roughly proofread by me so if you see any horrible mistakes.... I'll try and fix them if I'm not limited to my cell phone.

To say Cora Hale hates shopping malls would be a drastic understatement. She has in fact had a dislikels would be a drastic understatment. of them for as far back as she can remember. They’re a complete sensory overload, too many sights and sounds and smells that overwhelm her. It’s an experience that she just doesn’t like to forgo.

So she’s extremely surprised when Isaac pulls into the parking lot of Beacon Hills one and only mall. It’s exactly as she remembered, but so different as well. The structure itself has stayed the same but in the seven or so years since she’s been to it it’s had a facelift. The plaster looks new, a creamy brown that’s made to look like stucco. Even the shrubbery is different and flourishing in the heat of the California summer heat.

Cora’s so distracted with taking in what’s changed of the mall that she detested as a child that she doesn’t notice Isaac parking the car or that he’s even talking to. It’s not until he carefully nudges her elbow that she becomes aware of him.

“Look,” he starts out, already fumbling over his words. “Derek told me that you’re not really one for malls, but I think it could be fun with the right company.”

“And you think you’re the right kind of company?” She doesn’t mean the question in a bad way, she’s just honestly curious. But the way Isaac visibly deflates makes her realize that maybe she could have rephrased that.

He fiddles with the sleeve of his Henley and worries his lower lip between his teeth. His discomfort is enough to make Cora fidget uncomfortably in her seat.

Carefully she reaches over and gives his shoulder a quick shove. When she catches his gaze she nods her head towards the building. “C’mon, I know it probably wasn’t easy to convince Derek to let you take me or his new car out.”

Isaac blinks owlishly at her. She gives him a tiny smile and turns, opening her door and sliding out before she can chicken out and ruin the day for both of them.

After Isaac locks the car they make their way to the mall in a companionable silence, neither one feeling the need to really say anything.

Inside holds barely any relief from the heat outside. The air is sticky and stale and full of noise from all the shoppers. It makes her want to turn around and head right back out the door that slides shut behind her.

“So there’s this place in the food court that sells the most amazing pretzels ever,” Isaac supplies as they venture further inside. Cora can already smell the food court and while she isn’t really in the mood for food she follows him after him, weaving in between the tables and to the wall of venders that make an almost complete circle.

He stops her and waves a hand to the nearest table, a table that’s bigger than they really need that’s situated under one of the big indoor umbrellas.

“Sit and relax and I’ll grab us something, okay?” He sounds so hopeful that all she can really do is compliantly sit and give him what she hopes is a nice enough smile. He hesitates beside the table and she can see him casually scan the crowds. She can’t help but bristle, instantly unease.

“Sorry,” Isaac mutters when he looks back at her, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. He ducks his head and scratches at the back of his neck and shrugs his shoulder. “Just checking to make sure… you can never be too careful… I’m gonna go get food now.” He hastily turns from the table and his hip slams into the table directly in his path.

Cora can barely contain her laughter at the string of ground out swear words that leave his mouth and the way his face turns the prettiest shade of pink. She can’t help but notice how adorable sweet he is.

With him gone she leans against the table and props her chin on the palm of her hand with a sigh. It’s not that she’s bored really, or even having a bad time. It feels good to get out of the house, to not have her big brother watching her every move like she’ll just keel over or disappear altogether if he’s not watching. As much as she loves Derek, she can’t take much more of him treating her like glass.

Her eyes lazily scan the area, taking in the other food places and shops that complete the circle. Nearly all the shops have changed since she was in last and there’s a vegan restaurant towards the end of the line which completely surprises her, and makes her sad too because she knows that Laura would have found it funny and would have demanded they all try it together.

A tray clattering onto the table makes her jump. Isaac gives her an embarrassed grin and holds his hands up in surrender as he takes the chair across from her, not beside her like she was oddly expecting. She’s grateful for the space and yet disappointed at the same time.

He sets a blue PowerAde in front of her and she notices he has a matching one in front him, and then scoots the tray towards the middle of them, both in arms reach. There are two enormous salted pretzels on flimsy paper plates and next to them are three cups in opaque cups that she can’t make out unless she sniffs them.

“Okay so,” Isaac starts out, already with a mouthful of pretzel. “I didn’t know what you’d like for yours. I’m a plain or cheese kinda guy myself, but I’ll take whatever you don’t want. I didn’t know what you liked on yours if anything at all I got nacho cheese, mustard, and ranch.” He makes a face, scrunching up his nose with a confused frown. “Though, I really don’t know why I got ranch, it sounds nasty for a pretzel.”

Cora laughs, sudden and loud, which make Isaac’s face light up completely. She coughs and turns her attention back to the tray and as soon as her nose catches the scent of the salted dough her stomach decides to make itself known with a growl. Isaac snorts and scoots the tray closer to her.

It’s not hard to eliminate the ranch, because while she likes it on her salad and potato chips, she’s not feeling adventurous enough to try it on her pretzel. So she decides on the mustard and pushes the little cup of cheese to Isaac and moves the cup of mustard closer to her.

She’s only taken her first bite, and good holy geez was he right about them being the best around, when she notice that he’s staring at her with a sad far off look.

“What?” Cora asks while absently licking a stray bit of mustard from the corner of her mouth. Isaac shakes his head and cracks the seal on his drink and chugs half of it.

“Nothing.” She can hear the skip in his pulse and she raises an eyebrow at him. He huffs and rolls his eyes at her, and she knows darn good and well just how much it makes her look like Peter and Derek thank you very much. “Erica likes… liked.. mustard with hers too.” Isaac finally supplies looking anywhere but her.

The silence is sudden and uneasy between them. Cora doesn’t like it at all and Isaac picks at his pretzel. She furrows her brows and tries to think of something, anything, to make things better.

“Laura liked buffalo sauce on hers,” she blurts out because it’s the only thing she can think of, at all. Isaac pulls a face, twisted half in disgust and half with a frown. To her he looks like he’s in pain besides his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Finally he chokes out a laugh, sending blue tinted bits of pretzel flying from his mouth. “Seriously? Dude, that’s disgusting!”

“Don’t call me dude,” Cora snaps out without thinking twice about it, but with no real heat behind it. Isaac’s laugh is so loud that several people nearby to stop what they’re going to glare at their table. Cora can’t help but join in with the laughter, the ball of tension between them smoothing out all at once.

When Isaac’s calmed down he slumps down in his chair, his face red and blotchy from laughing so hard, and just smiles at her.

“You are totally your brothers sister,” he says after a moment. Cora makes a scandalized noise and chunks a piece of her pretzel at him which he bats away easily.

When they’re down to the crumbs and licking the last of the condiments from their fingers, Cora notices that Isaac looks like he’s pondering something. In truth he looks downright mischievous. Cora narrows her eyes at him as she drains the last of her drink; he gives her a wide grin and stands up.

“C’mon, the day’s not over yet. I still have once place that you’ve gotta go.” Without another word he swoops up the tray with their trash and heads for the garbage cans. She hurries after him, nearly having to sprint to catch up with him as he heads to the escaladers.

“You’re legs are too long,” Cora mutters and pouts. Isaac laughs and nudges her before him onto the escalader. She looks back at him over her shoulders, both eyebrows raised.

His whole face goes pink and he concentrates very hard on looking at only her face. “In case you fall I’ll be able to catch you. It’s happened to Stiles too many times to count; he’s even gotten his shoelaces caught on this thing before.” His heartbeat is elevated just enough that Cora can’t make out if he’s fibbing to her or not so she lets it go and turns forward and pays attention, because the last thing she needs is to trip and fall and embarrass herself in front of everyone on her first venture out.

Once off of the contraption she moves to the side and out of the way of the people that were behind them and looks to Isaac expectantly. He nervously fidgets and holds his hand out to her. She looks at it for a moment, which must be a moment too long because his hand is falling back to his side which makes her have to hastily reach out and snatch it.

“Lead on kind sir,” Cora says, making a move to flip her hair over her shoulder, which would have gone better if it wasn’t in one long pleated braid down her back. It gives more of the effect of a rope whipping over her shoulder, but Isaac smiles nonetheless and gives her hand a small squeeze before he sets off.

Again none of the stores looks familiar to her. Not a single store is the same from six years ago, or at least not that she can remember. They pass a Forever21 which catches Cora’s eye, and a Victoria’s secret that turns Isaac’s face the brightest red. She’s given up trying to guess where he’s taking her when they stop in front of a store that makes her whip her head up to look at him. She’s beyond confused and digs her feet into the ground when he tries to pull her forward.

“You’re joking right?” Cora stammers out, gazing up at the garish yellow storefront with disbelief. Isaac looks like a kicked puppy and takes a step back to her.

“It’s fun though, I promise.”

“Isaac, it’s Build-A-Bear,” She says, not budging her feet. “This place is for children and I’m not a child.”

A mother and two children come out of the store and they’re forced to take a step to the side. The little girls each hold a blue and pink pony and it perks her curiosity but then she looks back up at Isaac.

“This isn’t just for kids though Cora,” Isaac nearly whines and dances in place, taking bother of her hands between his. “All of the pack has come here and made one.”

“Even Derek?”

“Derek has three!” Isaac exclaims excitedly, his smile so wide and bright that Cora thinks his face could freeze like that. Though not that it’d be a bad thing really. But then she realizes what he said and her eyes nearly bug out of their sockets.

“Three?”

Isaac nods, his messy curls bouncing enthusiastically with the movement. “Yeah, totally, though one Stiles made for him and then they have one that’s technically both of theirs, but yeah three. Tell me I’m lying.” He drops her hands and holds his arms out to his side and looks at her expectantly. She concentrates and listens to the beat of his heart and sure enough, no skips or blips, just a steady thrum.

With a put out sigh she turns away from Isaac and practically stomps like a petulant child into the store. All around children chatter happily. There is more than one teenager picking out clothes for their stuffed animal and Cora even sees someone that looks close to Derek’s age meticulously fluffing a stuffed rabbits pelt at the “wash and dry” station.

The longer she looks she has to admit that it doesn’t look too stupid, in face it looks like a lot of fun. She turns to see Isaac standing next to her, with his arms crossed over his chest and the smuggest grin on his face. She punches his arms and strides over to the bins of critters that have yet to get their stuffing.

With close to thirty choices in front of her it’s actually hard to pick just one. She instantly spots the blue and pink ponies like the children she saw before had, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie pie being their names and while they look cute and are super soft she decides that neither of them are for her.

Beside her Isaac holds up one and grins happily at her.

“It’s a Husky, but the pack calls them wolves,” Isaac explains. Cora can’t help but laugh. “And yes your brother has a _wolf_.” She shakes her head at that and turns her attention back to the bins. While having a wolf would be cute, she wants something that can just be hers without being because of the pack.

She goes up and down the row twice before she makes a frustrated noise and goes to Isaac for advice. “I can’t choose, help?” She pouts at him, more for dramatics than anything else, and tugs at the sleeve of his gray Henley. He laughs and nudges her shoulder with his, then points his chin towards one of the animals on display.

“That one, really?”

He nods and shrugs his shoulder. “Nobody else in the pack has one of those. It’s colorful and pretty. It suits you.”

She gives him the biggest smile she’s had in what feels like forever and takes one of the brightly tye-dye bears from the bin.

With her choice they both head to the big stuffing contraption. Right before she hands the bear to the attendant she’s stopped by Isaac, another mischievous grin on his face.

“What’s one scent that you really like?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like if you had to choose one, like say strawberry or chocolate of bubble gum, cotton candy even?”

She furrows her brows in confusion but thinks If she _had_ to choose one. Cora suddenly laughs at herself and grins cheekily.

“Cotton candy for sure.”

“Why that one?”

Cora grins wider and shrugs. “What I was little, I wanted to wear perfume like mom and Laura. But mom said I was too young and Laura wouldn’t share with me. So, for my birthday Peter bought me this body spray. It was for kids and it wasn’t really perfume but it was the best gift I’d ever gotten and it smelled like cotton candy. I would spray it every chance that I got and I’d spray so much of it to the point that it made Derek gag and Laura swore off even looking at cotton candy for a month.”

When she finishes she notices he’s looking at her with such amazement and sadness that she feels a pang of sadness but shakes it off and nudges his elbow.

Isaac snorts quietly and moves to the other side of the machine and plucks a packet from a row of them that she hadn’t seen. When he hands it to her, she sees that it’s a bear shaped solid scent. At the lower corner she sees the depiction of cotton candy.

“Derek’s gonna love this,” she sing songs and hands over the bear and solid to the attendant who isn’t much older than them but still gives such a soft smile. The girl gives off the feel of, as her mother would have described, is having an old soul.

“I think it’s really cute that your brought your date here,” the girl says with that same smile. Cora stammers to correct her, glancing at Isaac, but when she sees how red his face is and how hopeful he looks she just turns back to the attendant with a nervous smile. She tries really hard to ignore the way Isaac’s heart jumps.

“Okay now see this little tub of hearts?” The girl points to a bin of red satin hearts in front of the machine and Cora nods. “Alright, now you,” she points to Isaac, “pick one.”

He blinks at the girl, which Cora notices belatedly her nametag reads _Kayla_ , but after a moment his mind gets with the program and he steps forward and reaches in and picks up a white and red checkered heart.

Kayla nods happily at him and tells him to hand it back to her. Cora takes it, blushing like crazy even though she has no reason to.

“Now what I want you to do is rub the heart between your hands to get it beating.”

Cora looks at her, completely mortified that she has to do the “Heart Ceremony” like she noticed the little kids doing. Beside her Isaac covers his laugh with a cough but waves her on encouragingly so she quickly rubs it between her palms.

“Now put it against your ear so it’ll hear all your secrets.”

She thinks it’s completely dumb, and embarrassing, but does it anyway.

“Put it to your forehead to make it super smart.”

She wonders if it’s possibly to lose IQ points for this.

“Put it to your arm so it’ll be strong as you.”

Heh, if only they knew how strong she was. But that’s beside the point. It’s not like it will actually help give her teddy bear the strength of a werewolf. Even if that would be really cool to see.

“Put it to your cheek so it can smile with you.”

She can’t help but smile along with her and Isaac.

“Now last give it a kiss and make a wish.”

Cora puts the satin heart against her lips and her eyes drift to Isaac who’s looking at her with the brightest smile and he just looks so happy and that’s when she realizes that she’s so happy. She’s happy with him and happy that she came with him and happy to be alive and she’s just so freaking happy. She realizes that she can’t even make up a wish, but smiles at the attendant Kayla and at least pretends like she made a wish.

After that she’s directed to step on the pedal that gives her bear the stuffing and she’ll admit that she may have overstuffed her bear a little more than she should have, but oh well, she wants her bear extra huggable. Not that she’ll actually tell that to anyone. Okay, she tells that to Isaac as soon as the bear is stitched up and handed to her and they move to the walls of clothing.

Isaac snorts a laugh and doubles over, his shoulders shaking. She leaves him to his fit, rolling her eyes fondly and tries to find the perfect outfit.  It takes her no time at all to decide when she spots the leather jacket. Sure it’s not a plain leather jacket and has the biker logo on it, but she thinks it’s fitting seeing as how many people around her wear leather jackets, even in ninety degree weather.

“I’m done,” she announces when she finds Isaac looking absently at the accessories, his finger prodding at a bear sized cell phone. He snatches back his hand and tries to act like he wasn’t just playing with anything.

“Time to go get your certificate for it then,” he says and points towards the row of computers that line the wall near the cash registers. She waves him off and heads towards them and plops down on one of the stools, and then bounces on it a few more times because the thing is freaking comfy and is settled on an actual spring and it’s just a fun chair.

She fills out the information, her name date of birth her address which is Derek’s loft, the normal questions. When she gets to the name of the bear she pauses. It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything. But she feels like it is. The name hits her like a ton of bricks.

Casually she looks over her shoulder. Isaac is completely preoccupied with a pink light up wand. With a stifled laugh she turns back to the screen and types the name in and finishes up and presses enter before she can chicken out.

When they get to the register, much to Cora’s outrage, Isaac pays for her bear. To her it’s overpriced and she really should pay for _something_ since he’s paid for everything on their outing. But he waves her off and swipes his card through before she can so much as voice anymore protests.

With the little bear box in hand they head out and Cora feels completely drained and ready to go home.

“You ready?” Isaac asks, boldly putting his arm around her shoulders. She doesn’t fight it, instead she leans against him and without another word he leads her to the escalator.

Cora keeps the bear, box and all, up front with her when they get back to the car. She leans her head back against the head rest and hugs the box to her as she breathes in deep of the cotton candy scent that radiates from the box. She closes her eyes when Isaac starts the car and the cool air washes over her, an immense relief from the outside and from in the mall as well.

She doesn’t even realize she’s dosed off until Isaac’s soft voice startles her awake.

“What?” She asks, rubbing her eye sleepily with the heel of her hand, vaguely thankful that she wore smudge proof mascara.

He laughs beside her before asking again,” What did you name you bear?”

She sinks down in her seat and holds the box closer to her, not knowing how well the name will go over with him.

“Erica,” she answers without looking at him. Out of the corner of her eye she can see him look at her and then back to the road as he turns a corner, only a few blocks away from the loft she realizes.

He’s quiet until they’re maybe two blocks from the loft and then he asks, “why Erica?”

Cora swallows and taps her nails against the cardboard box. “Because I thought it was fitting. So she can always be a part of the pack. I know I’ll never replace the whole she left in the pack, but I just thought this was a way of showing that she’ll always be a part of the pack.”

When she gets the nerve to look at Isaac she can see a big tear roll down his cheek, but he brushes it away quickly and smiles, looking at her briefly then back at the road.

“Yeah, I think that’s perfect. She would have liked the jacket you picked out.”

Cora laughs and he laughs along with her before they fall into a comfortable silence.

When they make it to the lofts parking lot they continue to sit, neither really want to get out.

She turns to him when he reaches for his door handle and blurts out, “I don’t want to replace Erica for you.”

Isaac stills and turns back to face her. “I know.”

“I’m not Erica and I won’t try to be.”

Isaac frowns at her. “I know.”

“I think that while it’s healthy to move on I don’t want you to rush into a relationship, be it me or anyone else.”

“I agree with you.”

Cora nods, more to herself than anything else. “Good.”

Isaac shifts closer to her and reaches out and takes her hand. “I know you’re not Erica, and I know you never will be, I wouldn’t want you to try. But I do know that I like you Cora, and I like being around you.”

Cora clutches his hand tightly and nods, her heart thundering in her chest suddenly. “I like being around you too, Isaac.”

He gives her a soft grin then, eyes alight with mischief. “So, would you object to calling that a first date?”

She shakes her head, “no, I wouldn’t object at all. But I don’t think Derek would be too happy about me going on another one any time soon.”

“Good,” Isaac proclaims and Cora must make a confused face. “Because we’re going to go slow and steady. No rushing for uh, no way. If Derek doesn’t let you go on a date for a while then that’s good. Then there’ll be no way for us to rush. And it’s not like we won’t get to hang out, so it’ll be good.”

He’s so optimistic and hopeful that Cora can’t disagree. She thinks she can see his point in it.

He gives her hand one last squeeze and then surprises her by leaning in and places a quick warm kiss to her cheek, just shy of brushing her mouth.

“Let’s get inside before Derek gets all furry on us.”

Cora laughs and nods and follows him out of the car.

The two of them hold hands all the way up to the loft.

And when they get inside they’re not in the door all of two seconds before Derek comes out of the kitchen and promptly dry heaves.

“Oh God no,” he bemoans through his dry heaves. “Cotton candy? You _had_ to get cotton candy? For the love of….” Derek retreats away from them but they can still hear his heaving throughout the loft.

Cora and Isaac end up topping to the floor, clutching their stomachs as they laugh hysterically. When they gain control of themselves it’s Cora who notices Peter at the top of the spiral stair case, and he’s actually smiling at them. A smile that Cora hasn’t seen in seven or so years. A true genuine smile full of fondness and love.

She hoists her bear box over her head like a trophy. “I got to make my bear smell like cotton candy uncle Peter!” Cora proclaims proudly.

Peter tips his head back with a laugh and shakes his head, down the hall Derek heaves again though this time she’s not so sure it’s _dry_.

Cora can safely file this day under the best day she’s ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> So, your feedback would be greatly appreciated! Also if you have a suggestion for what kind of Build-A-Bear adventure you'd like to see next let me know and I'm sure I'll be able to work something out, possibly.


End file.
